The Other Side
by datadoesntlie
Summary: Watching Tosh, Adam, and Owen, Ianto gets the feeling something's different. Set during Adam in S2 aka sexy Tosh and puppy Owen. Ianto/Tosh friendship, Ianto/Owen friendship, Owen/Tosh one-sided, on both sides... and Jack/Ianto.


Title: The Other Side  
>Author: datadoesntlie<br>Characters / Pairing: Ianto, Tosh, Adam, Owen, Jack / Ianto+Tosh friendship, Ianto+Owen friendship(?), Adam/Tosh, one-sided Owen/Tosh (on both ends…?), Jack/Ianto, implied possible one-sided Jack/Gwen  
>Word count: 1315<br>Rating: PG-13  
>Warnings  Notes: Role-reversed Owen and Tosh. Written as part of a series of Ianto+Tosh friendship fics based on various episodes, but who knows if the rest of the series will ever be finished so I'm posting this separately.  
>Spoilers: Just for Adam, I guess.<br>Summary: Watching Tosh, Adam, and Owen, Ianto gets the feeling something's different.

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><p>"Tosh." Ianto poked his head into the boardroom, where Tosh and Owen were working. He smiled at the way Owen kept glancing over at Tosh. He knew Tosh wasn't interested, but it was very cute how the quiet doctor fawned after her all the time. And if he were completely honest with himself, he would rather see Tosh with Owen than with Adam. Adam wasn't a bad person; there was just something about him that gave Ianto a strange feeling, like something was <em>off<em>. But Adam and Tosh had been together for ages, and he didn't want to say anything. Neither him nor Tosh wanted to risk their friendship by fighting.

"Did you find anything similar to this box in the archives?" Tosh leaned over the table to look at it closely, and Ianto idly wondered if she had always shown so much cleavage at work.

"No, sorry. I'll keep looking, but I was about to order take-out for tonight. Is Chinese okay? We had pizza last week."

Tosh stared at him for a second before her eyes widened in realization. "Oh, Ianto, I'm sorry. I forgot to say anything, I assumed you knew."

"Knew what?"

"Today is our anniversary. Adam and I. I know it's our usual night, but he invited me out, so..."

"Oh." Ianto deflated a little. Mondays had always been their night to eat take-out, watch TV, and talk about anything, aliens or love or just how much their lives sucked. Ianto found it nice to relax, one evening a week, and talk to someone who would understand; though now that he thought about it, he couldn't remember why _Tosh_ was the one who understood him. She was his exact opposite, confident and sexy and not afraid to show off her brilliant knowledge. Owen adored her, and her relationship with Adam seemed to grow deeper all the time, while Ianto melted into the background, only needed for coffee and archiving.

Tosh giggled at his disappointed expression. "Oh, cheer up. You're almost as bad as Owen sometimes." She kissed him on the cheek. "I think you can live without _nee-san_ for a week."

"As bad as Owen...?" Owen murmured, frowning. Tosh looked back at him, then at Ianto again.

"But way cuter." She reassured Ianto. Owen winced.

"Do I need to keep a closer eye on you, Tosh?" Adam leaned against the door, smiling.

"Oh, come on, he's my best friend, you know that." Tosh rolled her eyes, standing up to kiss him. "And he's gay. Not much competition."

Ianto frowned. "I'm not..." He started.

"I know. Doesn't mean I can't get jealous when you kiss him like that."

"It's not like that!" Tosh laughed. "He's the youngest, so he just needs some guidance, from someone older and wiser-"

"And sexier." Adam kissed her again. This time Tosh didn't break off, and Ianto awkwardly stood by the door as they made out right in front of him.

Owen stood up, purposely looking away from the two as he passed by Ianto to leave. "I'm going to go double check my tests." He muttered. Ianto followed him back to the autopsy area.

Owen's sanctuary. It was neat and orderly, like always - and yet, Ianto felt there was something wrong with it. He never cleaned up this area unless absolutely necessary. But why? Because it was too messy for him to deal with, his mind said, but that couldn't be right, because as far as Ianto could remember, Owen had always been clean and organized. He must have a complicated system, Ianto thought. Something he didn't dare touch, in fear of moving something critical that could be a matter of life or death.

"Did you need something?" Owen's voice was quiet as he looked through a folder of papers. Ianto could tell he wasn't actually reading it, just trying to look busy. It was a skill he himself perfected ages ago.

"I don't think she means to hurt you." He said without thinking.

"But she does." Owen shut the folder, dropping the pretense. "We've worked together for four years and she barely even knows I exist. Every time I try to do something nice, she blows me off for him."

"I know the feeling."

"No, you don't."

"Believe me, I do." Ianto looked up at Jack's office. "Sometimes I feel like Jack looks right through me. Like he really wants someone else."

"I'd do anything to have her look at me like that." Owen murmured. "Even if she used me as a replacement for someone else. I wouldn't care. Anything instead of this, showing off how happy she is with him."

"There has been more PDA than usual today." Ianto frowned, thinking.

"Makes you want to show off too, doesn't it?" Jack appeared out of nowhere and leaned over the railing next to Ianto, grinning. Ianto rolled his eyes. Leave it to Jack to show up at the most inappropriate moment.

"No, because unlike some people, I still have some sense of shame."

"You're no fun." Jack pouted. "Owen, can you stay late with Tosh tonight? Something's nagging me about that box, I want to identify it right away. It'll go faster with both of you."

"What about Adam?"

"What about him?"

"It's his and Tosh's first anniversary tonight."

Jack shrugged. "And there's still work to be done. Adam's good out in the field, you're good at analyzing tech. You and Tosh tonight."

Owen sighed in defeat. "If you say so."

"And Ianto, I want some coffee on my desk in five minutes or less."

"Yes, sir." Ianto nodded. Jack stole a kiss before leaving the area.

Owen sighed again. "That's what I mean. You and Jack, Gwen and Rhys, Tosh and Adam. And Doctor Owen bloody Harper all alone. I can't get a girl to save my life. And now I'm stuck staying late with Tosh on their anniversary. She'll never forgive me."

Ianto thought for a few seconds. "Why don't you just try it?"

"What?"

"Just tell her how you feel." He shrugged. "It's Tosh, I don't think it can go too poorly. Even if she rejects you flat-out, at least she'll know."

"I can't. Not today."

"An evening alone with her. No Adam around. It might be your best chance." Ianto looked back up to the main area of the Hub. "I'll keep Jack busy if you'd like."

Owen stared at him for a minute contemplating this, then smiled. "Thanks, mate. I think I will."

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><p>Two days later, the Hub was full of confusion as the Torchwood team tried to figure out what happened the past few days.<p>

"What the hell?" A muffled yell came from Owen. "Tea boy, did you clean my stuff?"

"I wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole, Owen." Ianto called down, leaning over the rail.

"Well, someone organized this room, and it sure as hell wasn't me." Owen grimaced, looking through the shelves. "I don't know where anything is anymore!"

"No one touches that room without your permission, Owen." Ianto rolled his eyes. "At least, no one here. Maybe the magical cleaning fairies did it."

"Oh, sod off." Ianto shrugged and left, passing by Tosh's desk. He noted the way she stared at the flowers, amazed, as if they were too good to be true. The note was already taped up to her monitor, behind a photo so Owen wouldn't notice.

When he reached his coffee machine, there was a piece of paper taped to the front of it. He blinked. He pulled it down, reading it carefully. _It didn't go very well, but at least now it's all out in the open. She's happy and that's all that matters. Thank you. -Owen_ He glanced around, eyes landing on Tosh again, and the apology note. _Hmm…_

"You certainly look deep in thought. Remember anything?" Jack leaned up against the counter next to him.

"Sorry Jack, nothing." Ianto shook his head, folding the note up to put into his pocket. But as Jack walked away muttering something about how Ianto was supposed to know everything, he smiled. Maybe there was hope for those two after all.


End file.
